The short story is, we had the time of our lives hosting the Macy's Spring Essentials event at WestShore Plaza. We felt glamorous and fancy and special and we will never forget it. The long story:

We showed up to the mall Friday night after a full day of stressful work at the newspaper. We assumed we were going to follow around a qualified stylist and nod in approval as she picked out beautiful things to put on beautiful models. Much to our surprise, the sweet and welcoming Macy's stylists gave us free reign of the store and a list of looks to style for the fashion show the next day. It was totally up to us! THE PRESSURE! Macy's really wanted the looks to reflect each of our individual style personalities, which as you readers know, are very different. I styled looks for a freakishly gorgeous 5-foot-9 model named Hope, sometimes forgetting that she was 5-foot-9 and picking out skirts that, while maxi-length on me, were mini-length on her. This styling thing is way harder than you realize, guys.

After a couple hours styling the models Friday night, it was time to shop for ourselves. We could pick whatever we wanted in the whole store. We were instantly thrilled, then immediately paralyzed with fear. While it was the most amazing thing to ever happen, something about having no restrictions was also foreign and strange to penny pinching rack hunters like us. And it didn't help that our mental states were diminished. By 8 p.m. after full news days, our feet were swollen, our faces sweaty, our paunches paunching. When Kameel and I came out of the dressing room wearing the exact same hue of royal blue and started squaring off like chickens fighting over the same bit of feed, our faithful event coordinator from Macy's, Stephanie, was like, "Why don't you all go home and get some sleep? Great idea!"

It was good advice. We slept, then returned in the morning fresh and fully Starbucked and had a much easier time selecting things to wear in the show. And none of us ended up in royal blue.

Flip through the slideshow above to see our looks! And please visit Runway Translator, a blog from local former stylist Michelle. She sat in the front row and snapped some great shots!

I went with a pink dress from Kensie with silver stud details, layered with a black faux-leather (fleather) and cotton Guess jacket and some Enzo Anglioni ankle-strap stilettos. I left my tights on as an ode to fall-to-spring transitional dressing (just kidding, I cut my leg shaving).

And yes, to your question. We had to give it all back at the end. HOWEVER. Rumor has it Keyonna purchased the cloud pants and Marc Fisher shoes. And MAYBE, just MAYBE, I purchased the black Guess jacket, and just MAYBE I am already wearing it again today. It wasn't cheap, you guys. I start to get hives if I think too much about it. But I know I will wear it for the rest of my life, probably three times a week, so I will get a fantastic cost-per-wear. That's what I keep telling myself.

Thanks to Macy's for a great event, and thanks to everyone who came out to see us!

About the bloggers

Looking for shopping deals in Tampa Bay? The Deal Divas are on the prowl, sniffing out hot fashion finds that won't leave your wallet in ruins. Now you never have to miss a shopping deal! Check in often for the lowdown on local bargains, as well as fashion advice, fun photos and style news. Disclaimer: The content of this blog is produced by the editorial staff of the Times and is not tied to advertising. E-mail us ideas you'd like us to write about.

Stephanie Hayes , addicted to heels for 15 years, has been experimenting with ballet flats, boots and cute sneakers lately. Her poor, tired feet thank her. She can never get enough animal print, and her eye shadow collection has become a bit of a hoard. While other kids were reciting multiplication tables, she was learning to calculate an extra third off the half-price discount during buy-one-get-one week. She knows a healthy swipe of red lipstick can make any outfit better. She can be reached at (813) 226-3394 or shayes@tampabay.com.

Katie Sanders foolishly spurned pretty dresses and shoes as a child, tossing new clothes over her shoulder at birthday parties with a totally rude "no, thank you." Her drab days of monocolor outfits are over now, and she certainly knows better than to turn down free stuff. Her wardrobe mixes classic with quirk. Think blazers with statement necklaces, and lots of patterned ballet flats. She can be reached at (850) 224-7263 or ksanders@tampabay.com..

Kameel Stanley has never encountered a thrift store she didn’t like. Her mother taught her that the true value of clothes isn’t how much they cost, but how many outfits one can create from them. Having grown up in Michigan, she was delighted to learn upon moving to Florida that she almost never needed to wear socks or boots again. There’s a lot of turnover in her closet, and she’s obsessed with dresses, necklaces and wedge heels. She can be reached at (727) 893-8643 or kstanley@tampabay.com.

From camo pants and construction boots to sundresses, sweaters and sling backs, Keyonna Summers knows how to make all of it rock -- at rock bottom prices. A Detroit native, Keyonna delves into her urban roots to find fashion pairings that give a nod to street fashion while maintaining the class of the modern, professional woman. She believes in searching for affordable clothes that look expensive and can easily be dressed up or down. You won't find plaid shirts or fleece jackets in her closet; the only hiking Keyonna does is to the bargain basement. She can be reached at (727) 445-4153 or ksummers@tampabay.com.